Nameplates



June 27, w67 P. R. HILL 3,327,414

4NAMEPLATES Filed Aug. 25, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l June 27, 1967 P. R. Hm. .3,327,414

NAMEPLATES Filed Aug. 25, 1965 v5 sheets-sheet 2 will.

P. R. HILL NAMEPLATES June 27, 19E? 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 25, 1965 75T f12a 1711:L

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NAMEPLATES June 27, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 25, 1965 United States Patent O 3,327,414 NAMEPLA'IES Peter Rowland Hill, The Bowery, Wymondham, Melton Mowbray, England Filed Aug. 25, 1965, Ser. N0. 482,386 9 Claims. (Cl. 40-10) This invention appertains to name plates to the kind bearing names or/and other relevant information and `adapted to be set up in a prominent fashion and secured primarily upon exterior walls, or even doors, of houses, offices, factories and like establishments.

The object of the invention is to provide a name plate to which can be readily added from time to time successive later sections displaying additional names or/ and information, and important aim being to permit of the addition of a further section without any undue disturbance of a previously secured section or sections.

In this connection it is, for instance, considered that in these days when, owing to the increasing use of crematoria, head stones, columns and other memorial features such as were heretofore commonly erected in graveyards are going out of use, there is a good case, or even a need for the introduction of some -alternative and aesthetic form of memorial to deceased persons, Thus, one particuv lar object of the present invention, is to provide a sectional name plate in the nature of a memorial plaque, for securing, say, to the exterior of a house and bearing, in addition to basic particulars relating to that house (eg. its name and date) the names and dates of persons who have lived there. As Will be appreciated, this would involve the possibility of being able to add to such a plate, from time to time, further information-bearing sections. Similar remarks apply to name pla-tes as used by professional firms and in respect of which it is desired progressively to add the names of successively incoming partners.

Accordingly, a sectional name plate constructed in accordance with this invention is assembled from a plurality of initially separate sections which are coupled and retained together with their exposed informationbearing surfaces in a common plane, the said sections being suspended from one another in a superimposed series relation. The idea is that one of such informationbearing sections shall initially be set up and secured in position, remaining there throughout a period of history, whereafter at each of successive relevant points of time a fresh following section, bearing -a further name or/ and additional information, shall be added to the lirst section, the result being to build up cumulatively a name plate of `progressively increasing size bearing a commensurately increasing amount of consecutive information.

In a convenient embodiment of the invention, the information-bearing sections are provided with readily interengaigeable interlocking form-ations by which the sections can be firmly coupled together, one or more of these formations or an additional formation or formations on each section being adapted for use (prior to eventual interengagement thereof with or Within one or more complementary formations on or in a following section) in securing the relevant section in position.

The interlocking formations may be of any appropriate character, although they are preferably in the nature of simple bayonet type tongue-and-slot or equivalent connections the complementary portions of which can be fully interengaged by relative sliding movement laterally.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, at least one drilled lug formed on an edge of each information-bearing section and adapted for attachment to a wall or other surface, by the passage therethrough of screws or other securing elements, may be arranged for PatentedJune 27, 1967 ice accommodation within a corresponding recess formed in an adjoining edge of the next following section, this lug and recess being so proportioned as to permit of relative lateral sliding movement between the adjoining sections during assembly, and so disposed as to be hidden from View in an assembled name plate.

A further aspect of the invention resides in 4the provision, for association with one or more, or a superirnposed series, of the information-bearing sections, of head and foot sections of an ornamental character between which the said information-bearing section or sections is or are interposed; in such a case, the lower and upper marginal edge portions of the ornamental head and foot sections respectively have therein and thereon formations to complement formations on and in the relevant information-bearing section or sections.

In order that the invention may be more clea-rly understood and readily carried into practical effect, one specific constructional embodiment of the sectional name plate will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

FIGURES 1 and 2 are respectively front and back views of a sectional name plate comprising three of the information-bearing sections interposed between ornamental head and foot sections,

FIGURES 3 and 4 are detail cross-sectional views taken on the lines III-III and IV-IV of FIGURE 1 respectively,

FIGURES 5, 7 and 9 are front views, in exploded form, of the majo-r portions of three initially separate cast plates which are assembled and rigidly secured together in the manufacture of one of the informationbearing sections of the sectional name plate,

vFIGURES 6, 8 and 1G are three cross-sectional views taken on the lines VI-VI, VIII-VIII and X-X of FIGURES 5, 7 and 9 respectively,

FIGURE 1l is a front view of an assembled section,

FIGUR-E 12 is a cross-sectional view of the same taken on the line XII--XII of FIGURE 11,

FIGURES 13 and |14 are top and underside plan views of the said section as seen in the directions of the arrows A and B in FIGURE 11 respectively,

FIGURE 15 schematically illustrates the middle plates only of two following information-bearing sections and the manner in Which they are initially engaged with one another,

FIGURE 16 is a view similar to FIGURE 15 but showing the said two plates fully interengaged and interlocked, and

FIGURE 17 depicts the back faces of two interlocked sections of a name plate according to this invention.

Like parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the drawings.

' The sectional name plate illustrated merely by way of example, in FIGURES 1 and 2 comprises three superimposed information-bearing sections 1 interposed between ornamental head and foot sections 2 and 3. All five sections are arranged in a common plane. It is purely arbitrary that three of the sections 1 are shown. Initially, of course, only one of the information-bearing sections 1 is set up and secured in position between the head and foot sections 2 and 3. The illustrated condition of the name plate is that which obtains when two fresh following sections have been added to the first section at successive points of time. As will be appreciated, to enable each fresh information-bearing section 1 to be added, the ornamental foot lsection 3 has rst to be disengaged from the first section and removed; then, after the new section has been added, the said foot section is lirst interengaged and interlocked therewith and then re-secured to the wall-in a lower position than before.-

In the .illustrated example, each of the sections 1, 2 and 3 is wholly flat at the back (see FIGURE 2), whereas on its front face there are formed, as shown in FIG- URE 1, integral rib-like protuberances such as 4 `which are embellishing features adapted not only to enhance the character of the composite plate but also to define the outline of the section. Thus, the front of the head section 2 presents scroll-like ribs 41 combined with foliage 5, whereas the foot section 3 displays pleasingly curved facial ribs 42 in association with ornamental foliage 6. The face 7 of each of the information-bearing sections 1, on the other hand, is necessarily plain to enable it to be engraved or otherwise suitably marked with a name or/and other desired information. Rib-like protuberances 4 are provided only along the top and lower straight edges and at the ornamentally shaped ends of the sections 1, thereby setting off the latter by linear features in bold relief. It is, however, to be clearly understood that the actual shapes and ornamentation of the various sections of a sectional name plate according to this invention may be practically infinitely varied to suit different aesthetic tastes and requirements generally.

The head section 2 may conveniently be drilled with spaced holes such as 8 to receive screws whereby the section can be permanently secured flat against a wall or other -suitable surface. In a similar way, the foot section 3 may be drilled with spaced holes 9 to receive screws for securing the section to the wall or other surface, although in this case these screws require to be withdrawnfrom time to time to pe-rmit of removal of the foot section preparatory to the addition of a fresh information-bearing section 1.

It will now be convenient to describe one of the sections 1 per se. Thus, referring to FIGURES 5-14, it will be seen that each such section, purely for convenience in manufacture, is made up of three relatively thin cast plates 10, 11 and 12, which are initially separate but are subsequently placed and rigidly secured together sandwichwise. That is to say, when complete, each information-bearing section 1 although, in fact, of laminated form is the equivalent of a one-piece homogeneous plate as, indeed, it may ideally be. But, in practice, such a section is too diicult to cast in one piece in view of the presence therein and thereon of slots, recesses and lugs or tongues disposed in different planes. `Of the three plates, that designated 10 is a front plate; 11 is a back plate and 12 is a middle `or intermediate plate sandwiched between the other two. The cast front plate 10 is wholly unslotted and un-recessed and has no lugs orv tongues thereon. As will be seen in FIGURES 5 and 6, it has a principally plane flat front face 7 ornamented, however, by rib-like protuberances 4, and a wholly plane at back 4surface 13. Portions of the integral ribs 4 extend horizontally along the upper and lower edges of the front plate 10. The back plate 11 has formed in its straight upper edge 11a a rectangular recess 14 and on its straight lower edge 11b a depending rectangular lug 15 (FIGURES 9 and 10). Although the recess 14 and the lug 15 are of practically the same depth, the length of the said recess substantially exceeds that of the lug. This lug 15, which is in the same plane as the remainder of the back plate 11, is drilled with either one or two holes 16 to receive a securing screw or screws. Moreover, the lug 15 depending from each plate 11 is intended to be accommodated within the recess 14 formed in the back plate of the next following section 1, and the reason why this recess is longer than the said lug is to enable the former to be moved laterally with respect to the latter when the relevant two successive information-bearing sections 1 are in the course of being fully interengaged and interlocked by relative lateral sliding movement, as will be hereinafter described. The middle or intermediate cast plate 12 has in the same plane thereof and formed on its straight upper edge 12a, as depicted in FIGURES 7 and 8, two suitably spaced upstanding lugs or tongues 17 of right-angular form, whereas in the lower edge 12b of the said plate there are formed two correspondingly spaced bayonet slots 18. The angular lugs or tongues 17 projecting up from the middle or intermediate plate 12 of 4a fresh information-bearing section 1 required to be tted into position are intended to be inserted upwardly into and fully interengaged with the two bayonet slots 18 provided in the middle or intermediate plate of the previous section 1 already secured in positiomTo permit of such initial insertion immediately followed by full interengagement, the length l of the horizontal limb 17a of each right-angular lug or tongue 17 must be such that this limb can comfortably be inserted upwardly, without sticking or jamming, through the open mouth 18a of the corresponding bayonet slot 18 (see FIG-URE 7). On the other hand, the length l' of the horizontal portion 18b of each lslot 18 exceeds the aforementioned length l to enable the corresponding lug or tongue 17, when once inserted upwardly through the open mouth 18a of the said slot, as shown in chain lines in FIGURE 15, to be displaced laterally to effect full interlocking engagement of the free end 17b of the lug or tongue within the corresponding laterally extending portion 18e of the bayonet slot as represented in FIGURE 16. Manifestly, the depth of the free end 17b of each lug or tongue must be such as to enable the latter to fit nicely and without any vertical play within the laterally extending portion of the corresponding bayonet slot.

The three plates 10, 11 and 12 are placed and firmly secured together to produce the complete informationbearing section 1 illustrated in FIGURES 11 and 12. Thus, viewing FIGURE 12 in conjunction with FIG- URES 13 and 14, it will be realised that whilst the recess 14 is formed in the top edge and at the back of the section 1, the two right-angular lugs or tongues 17 extend upwardly from this top edge but in the median vertical plane of the section. Similarly, whilst the drilled securing lug 15 depends from the lower edge of the section 1 at the back thereof, the slim rectangular open mouths 18a of the bayonet slots 18 are disposed in the said median vertical plane. The major parts of the front, back and middle or intermediate plates of each section 1 are all of the same dimensions and have identical peripheral contours, so that with the plates placed and secured together congruently the section has a unitary appearancewith two lugs or tongues 17 projecting from its upper edge and a single securing lug 15 depending from its lower edge and flanked on opposite sides by thin rectangular bayonet slot mouths To enable an information-bearing section 1 to be interengaged and interlocked with the ornamental head section 2, the underside of the latter has formed therein two bayonet slots 19 similar (in regard to shape, dimensions and disposition) to the bayonet slots 18. Also depending from the lower edge of the head section 2 at the back thereof is a depending securing lug 20 of the same shape and dimensions as a lug 15. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 3, the head section 2 may, like the section 1, be built up of three initially separate plates 21, 22 and 23; alternatively, however, it may be cast in one piece. The idea is, of course, that after the head section 2 has been permanently attached in the required position flat against the wall or other surface, by screws inserted both through the spaced holes 8 and also through a hole or holes formed in the depending lug 20, a rst information-bearing section 1 shall then be interengaged and interlocked with the said head section by inserting the relevant lugs or tongues 17 upwardly through the open mouths of the bayonet slots 19 and sliding the section 1 laterally. By this action not only will the lugs or tongues 17 be interlocked in the bayonet slots 19, but the lug 20 will be accommodated in the recess 14 formed in the rst section 1. After the lug 15 depending from the first informationbearing section 1 has been secured to the wall or other surface by means of a screw or screws, the name plate is thereupon completed by interengagement of the ornamental foot section 3 with the lower portion of the said rst section. For this purpose, and -as seen in FIGURE 4, the upper edge of the foot section, which may either be assembled from three initialy separate plates 24, 25 and 26 or cast in one piece, has formed respectively thereon and therein two suitably spaced upstanding right-angular lugs or tongues 27, to fit within bayonet slots 18, and a recess 28 to accommodate a depending lug 15. Finally, the foot section 3, interengaged and interlocked with the first information-bearing section, is secured in position upon the wall or other surface by screws passed through the holes 9.

As previously mentioned, Whenever it is desired to add a fresh information-bearing section 1, the foot section 8 is first removed, the fresh section is then interengaged and interlocked with the first, or the immediately preceding section 1, as the case may be, by the procedure already described herein, the -added section is secured by a screw or screws passed through its depending lug 15 and the foot section 3 is replaced.

In this way, a plurality of information-bearing sections 1 can be added at succeeding times in a super-imposed series relation, these sections being in effect suspended from one another and so interengaged and interlocked as to be held rigid with their at back lsurfaces in a common plane.

The sectional name plate of this invention may be made in any suitable metal and suitably treated, coated or plated to preserve it. The sections may, if desired, be plain instead of being of an ornamental character furnished with various embellishments as in the illustrated example.

The complementary interlocking formations may alternatively be of a hook or equivalent character interengageable by a pivotal movement.

I claim:

1. An information-bearing section of a sectional nameplate, said section having formed in an upper edge, at the back of .the section, an elongated slot and on a lower edge, in the same rear plane as the said recess, a depending drilled lug, a portion of the section disposed in a plane forward of the said rear plane being formed on its upper edge with spaced upstanding lugs of right-angular form and in its lower edge with corresponding bayonet slots.

2. An information-bearing name .plate section according to claim 1, which is of a laminated form built up from three initially separate plates rigidly secured together, the back plate having the recess and the drilled lug respectively formed therein and thereon, and the right-angular lugs and the bayonet slot being formed respectively on and in the middle plate of the three.

3. An information-bearing name plate section according to claim 1, wherein the length of a horizontal limb of each right-angular tongue is such that the latter can be inserted upwardly through an open mouth of the corresponding bayonet slot of a preceding section already secured in position, whereas the length of the horizontal portion of said slot exceeds the length of the aforernentioned limb to enable the lug, when inserted upwardly through the said open mouth, to be disposed laterally to effect interlocking engagement of the free end of said lug within a corresponding laterally extending portion of the bayonet slot.

4. A sectional name plate comprising, in combination, a head section adapted to be attached flat against a Wall surface, the lower edge portion of said section having formed respectively therein and thereon bayonet slots and a depending lug drilled to receive at least one securing element; a foot section also adapted to be attached flat against the aforesaid surface, the upper edge portion of said foot section having formed respectively thereon and therein spaced upstanding right-angular lugs and a lug-accommodating recess; and at least one intermediate information-bearing section interposed between said head and foot section, said information-bearing section having formed in an upper edge, at the back of the section, an elongated slot and on a lower edge, in the same rear plane as the said recess, a depending drilled lug, a portion of the section disposed in a .plane forward of the said rear plane being formed on its upper edge with spaced upstanding lugs of right-angular form and in its lower edge with corresponding bayonet slots, the various sections being thus capable of being interlocked by interengagement of the right-angular lugs in the bayonet slots and the sectional plate being progressively increasable in size by the introduction thereinto at successive times of additional sections bearing a commensurately increasing amount of consecutive information.

5. A sectional name plate according to claim 4, wherein the head and the foot sections are of an ornamental character embellished by contoured ribs.

6. A sectional name plate comprising a plurality of initially separate sections arranged in superimposed series relation with exposed front surfaces of the sections in a common plane, adjoining upper and lower edge portions of adjacent sections being respectively formed with interengaged and disconnectable complementary formations adapted to be interlocked as a consequence of relative lateral sliding movement between the sections, and each section having thereon a drilled securing lug which projects from the back portion of the section and is accommodated within a recess in the back of the relevant adjacent section, the construction of the plate being such that it can be cumulatively built up by the addition of further information-bearing sections to a progressively increasing size to bear a commensurately increasing amount of consecutive information.

7. A sectional nameplate comprising a plurality of initially separate, generally at sections which are arranged generally in a common section plane, having flat rear surfaces disposed in a common rear plane, and are provided at adjoining edges thereof, which edges t close up to one another, with complementary interengageable but disengageable formations which are arranged in the said common section plane and, when engaged, are hidden from View from the front of the nameplate, the said formations at the adjoining edges of each adjacent pair of sections being engageable and disengageable by movement of at least one of the two sections in the said common section plane, and at least one of said sections being provided with means for enabling the nameplate to be secured to a mounting surface located adjacent the flat rear surface thereof, whereby the nameplate can lie flat against the said mounting surface, and whereby certain individual sections can be removed and new sections can be added without removing and dismantling the remainder of the nameplate.

8. A nameplate according to claim 7, wherein the said formations at the adjoining edges of each adjacent pair of sections are in the nature of bayonet-type connections comprising bayonet slots in a margin of the one section and corresponding right-angle lugs on the adjoining margin of the other section, the said rightangle lugs being fully interengageable with the bayonet slots by sliding one of the two sections relative .to the other section firstly in a direction perpendicular to their adjoining edges and then in a direction parallel to these edges.

9. A sectional nameplate according to claim 7 wherein the said securing means includes, on an edge of each relevant section, a securing lug drilled to receive at least one securing element for attaching the said section to a wall surface behind the nameplate, the said securing lug being arranged for accommodation within a recess formed in the adjoining edge of the adjacent section, and the securing lug being proportioned relative to the recess as to permit of relative lateral sliding movement of the securing lug within the recess when the right-angle lug and the slot at that adjoining edge are being engaged with each other, and said securing lug and recess are hidden from View from the front of the assembled plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Fairbanks 40-128 Hopp 40-16 Bock 40-145 Ensign 40-145 X EUGENE R. CAPOZI'O, Primary Examiner.

W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN INFORMATION-BEARING SECTION OF A SECTIONAL NAMEPLATE, SAID SECTION HAVING FORMED IN AN UPPER EDGE, AT THE BACK OF THE SECTION, AN ELONGATED SLOT AND ON A LOWER EDGE, IN THE SAME REAR PLANE AS THE SAID RECESS, A DEPENDING DRILLED LUG, A PORTION OF THE SECTION DISPOSED ON A PLANE FORWARD OF THE SAID REAR PLANE BEING FORMED ON ITS UPPER EDGE WITH SPACED UPSTANDING LUGS OF RIGHT-ANGULAR FORM AND IN ITS LOWER EDGE WITH CORRESPONDING BAYONET SLOTS. 